Just a few minutes ago I was sitting in the waiting room to see my doctor. The
re was an elderly gentleman arguing with the receptionist because he wanted his script for methadone faxed to the pharmacy. Im sitting there reading the fibro forum on my phone and he walks over to me and starts waving the script in my face saying you want this don't you, don't you, don't you.

I am still not quite sure what happened but wow. I also spoke to the nurse about how the doctor wanted me to switch to a stronger dose at my last visit and told her I had the money for it etc. I offered to give her my bottle of remaining 5/500s and she told me she couldn't take them. Is there a proper way I can get rid of my old vicodin (and get it documented) so I don't get in trouble for filling a new prescription too early.

My pharmacy takes un used medication as they participate in the destruction of unused medcation program. maybe your pharmacy can take your meds and also note your file.
Sounds like that Old Man had some issues.

Thank you, I will check with my pharmacy. I appreciate my doctors trust in me by telling me I could dispose of them on my own but I am afraid this could end up, pardon my french, biting me in the butt.

I know that my chain pharmacy refuses to destroy rx meds. They want you to BUY their packet and pay to mail it in and it's only good for ONE bottle, if you have more than one...well that's the way they make a quick buck.

However I did discover the city I live has a free rx disposal day once a month or once every other month. They do it in conjunction with the police. I guess they had problems with people digging through trash to get pills or were worried about people flushing them. In any case, it's free. If your pharmacy doesn't take them back you could try looking on your city's website. ours sends out a little mailer once a month with the water bill with all the activities and stuff.

Yep..Waters.. that goes on in my area as well. They have cops guarding the can where people drop off their bottles. i got lucky and noticed my pharmacy participates in the disposal program at any time but it IS a Mutual Independent

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missus chris (07-21-2012)

Yep..Waters.. that goes on in my area as well. They have cops guarding the can where people drop off their bottles. i got lucky and noticed my pharmacy participates in the disposal program at any time but it IS a Mutual Independent

May I ask, what is a mutual independent? I recently had to have a med compounded and we found this mom and pop shop, independent pharmacy, and they were so nice I was thinking of switching from the chain pharmacy.

Well of course living in middleofnowhere, USA, my pharmacy does not participate in the program nor do we have any independent programs. I locked everything up in my safe until I figure out what to do. Question about the disposal program, would they give me a receipt saying I turned in x amount of pills? I know I am probably paranoid but I would rather be safe than sorry.

I don't see why it would be OK (since you made a valiant effort to do it the "right" way) to just put them in your safe or another place of safe-keeping. Note how many pills are there and the date you placed them there. Then, if it ever comes up you can show what you have some documentation. Also, if you ever become in dire straits (pain wise), they would be there for you fair and square. It's not like you've tried to dispose of them in a proper sort of way.

It is not legal for Dr.s in some states to take possession of controlled substances that they did not distribute. Ie. unless the Dr gave you a sample they CAN NOT legally take a prescription from you that was filled at a pharmacy. Same with pharmacies, they can't take controlled substances for destructuion. Personally, I wouldn't trust those "drop them at the fire/police department" programs either, especially since those aren't anything where they log and destroy in front of you. Drugs go missing from police evidence rooms all the time.

Even if you got someone to take them for destructuion, that isn't going to make any difference as to when your ins will fill the new script. Either they will look at it as a new script because it's a different dose and will let you fill it or they won't depending on what their specific policies are.

Either put them in the safe for an emergency, or break them up with a hammer and mix them up with dirty kitty litter or something equally nasty and put them out in the trash. Personally I've always thought the idea of turning meds over to a Dr. without being given legal proof that you did so, and them destroying them in front of you was a BAD idea, too much chance of something going missing and showing up in the wrong place in a bottle with your name on it.

Tigg.

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sandiemas (07-14-2012)

When I changed my dose years ago my pm doctor counted and took my meds from me before giving me my new dosage. It was hydro to oxy change not sure if that makes a difference or not. But he noted my file a.d commented to me that more were there than what was surposse to be, like that was a bad thing. But it all worked out and I was happy with them until I moved to good ol'cali now it is like pulling teeth just to get some relief whereas before I always had meds left over at the end of the month now I am barely making it. Notso much now I have built up a little reserve for an emergency by hoarding my meds since my drama last month.lol

But I would tend to agree unless you cant trust yourself or have real addiction issues I would put them up in a safe, logged, counted, what ever makes you comfortable. And just keep them for an emergency. I think they are good for 2 or 3 years. At that time you cN destroy them in a responsible manner.

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Sandy

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